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Rühl P, Nair AG, Gawande N, Dehiwalage SNCW, Münster L, Schönherr R, Heinemann SH. An Ultrasensitive Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicator Uncovers the Electrical Activity of Non-Excitable Cells. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307938. [PMID: 38526185 PMCID: PMC11132041 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Most animal cell types are classified as non-excitable because they do not generate action potentials observed in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. Thus, resolving voltage signals in non-excitable cells demands sensors with exceptionally high voltage sensitivity. In this study, the ultrabright, ultrasensitive, and calibratable genetically encoded voltage sensor rEstus is developed using structure-guided engineering. rEstus is most sensitive in the resting voltage range of non-excitable cells and offers a 3.6-fold improvement in brightness change for fast voltage spikes over its precursor ASAP3. Using rEstus, it is uncovered that the membrane voltage in several non-excitable cell lines (A375, HEK293T, MCF7) undergoes spontaneous endogenous alterations on a second to millisecond timescale. Correlation analysis of these optically recorded voltage alterations provides a direct, real-time readout of electrical cell-cell coupling, showing that visually connected A375 and HEK293T cells are also largely electrically connected, while MCF7 cells are only weakly coupled. The presented work provides enhanced tools and methods for non-invasive voltage imaging in living cells and demonstrates that spontaneous endogenous membrane voltage alterations are not limited to excitable cells but also occur in a variety of non-excitable cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Rühl
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Anagha G Nair
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Namrata Gawande
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Sassrika N C W Dehiwalage
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Lukas Münster
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Roland Schönherr
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan H Heinemann
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, D-07745, Jena, Germany
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Molina BG, Fuentes J, Alemán C, Sánchez S. Merging BioActuation and BioCapacitive properties: A 3D bioprinted devices to self-stimulate using self-stored energy. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 251:116117. [PMID: 38350239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Biofabrication of three-dimensional (3D) cultures through the 3D Bioprinting technique opens new perspectives and applications of cell-laden hydrogels. However, to continue with the progress, new BioInks with specific properties must be carefully designed. In this study, we report the synthesis and 3D Bioprinting of an electroconductive BioInk made of gelatin/fibrinogen hydrogel, C2C12 mouse myoblast and 5% w/w of conductive poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanoparticles (PEDOT NPs). The influence of PEDOT NPs, incorporated in the cell-laden BioInk, not only showed a positive effect in cells viability, differentiation and myotube functionalities, also allowed the printed constructs to behaved as BioCapacitors. Such devices were able to electrochemically store a significant amount of energy (0.5 mF/cm2), enough to self-stimulate as BioActuator, with typical contractions ranging from 27 to 38 μN, during nearly 50 min. The biofabrication of 3D constructs with the proposed electroconductive BioInk could lead to new devices for tissue engineering, biohybrid robotics or bioelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda G Molina
- Departament D'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Ed. I2, 08019, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Ed. C, 08019, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Judith Fuentes
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Alemán
- Departament D'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Ed. I2, 08019, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Eduard Maristany 10-14, Ed. C, 08019, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Samuel Sánchez
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca I Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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Nikolaev DM, Mironov VN, Shtyrov AA, Kvashnin ID, Mereshchenko AS, Vasin AV, Panov MS, Ryazantsev MN. Fluorescence Imaging of Cell Membrane Potential: From Relative Changes to Absolute Values. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032435. [PMID: 36768759 PMCID: PMC9916766 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane potential is a fundamental property of biological cells. Changes in membrane potential characterize a vast number of vital biological processes, such as the activity of neurons and cardiomyocytes, tumorogenesis, cell-cycle progression, etc. A common strategy to record membrane potential changes that occur in the process of interest is to utilize organic dyes or genetically-encoded voltage indicators with voltage-dependent fluorescence. Sensors are introduced into target cells, and alterations of fluorescence intensity are recorded with optical methods. Techniques that allow recording relative changes of membrane potential and do not take into account fluorescence alterations due to factors other than membrane voltage are already widely used in modern biological and biomedical studies. Such techniques have been reviewed previously in many works. However, in order to investigate a number of processes, especially long-term processes, the measured signal must be corrected to exclude the contribution from voltage-independent factors or even absolute values of cell membrane potential have to be evaluated. Techniques that enable such measurements are the subject of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii M. Nikolaev
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Mironov
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey A. Shtyrov
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Iaroslav D. Kvashnin
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey S. Mereshchenko
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey V. Vasin
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maxim S. Panov
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Center for Biophysical Studies, Saint Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical University, 14 Professor Popov str., lit. A, 197022 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail N. Ryazantsev
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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Yang M, Brackenbury WJ. Harnessing the Membrane Potential to Combat Cancer Progression. Bioelectricity 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2022.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom
| | - William J. Brackenbury
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom
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Levin M, Djamgoz MB. Bioelectricity: From Endogenous Mechanisms to Opportunities in Synthetic Bioengineering. Bioelectricity 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2022.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Levin
- Department of Biology, Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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